Double Cord Transplant Day

Last Thursday (Dec. 18, 2008) at 3 pm was the start of my double cord transplant. First, the Belgium cord was infused into my body. The bag of 0+ looking blood had all of the stem cells from the Belgium cord. The Belgium cord did not have a test sample for the City of Hope to recheck the tissue typing of the cord so 5 hours earlier, the cryogenically cord was defrosted in the City of Hope lab and a small sample of the stem cells were tested. The bag of stem cells was also washed to remove any impurities (I have no idea how they do this). The Belgium cord tested perfect for me so then the infusion started at 3 pm. The stem cells were gravity fed into me over 1/2 hour. After the Belgium cord was infuses, the Australian cord blood was hung and infused into me.

Now it is a waiting game. My body's marrow has been killed off by the chemo and radiation and my body is not making any blood (white, red cell or platelets). We now have to wait until the baby stem cells make marrow and start making blood. This can take 12 to 20 days for the stem cells to start producing. I am hoping they start working in 7 days. I will donor infusions of blood and platelets until my baby stem cells start producing. I am also getting tons of antibiotics since my white count is near zero (no immune system). A cold could be very bad for me.

We just wait now!





Belgium Cord blood bag. The Belgium cord is 0+ type blood. I am B+.















The cord blood going into me through my hickman catheter.


















The Australian cord blood bag (B+) was darker and not as large since this bag did not need to be washed. This bag was more like blood (thicker and darker).













The finished bag of Australian cord blood.















The finished bag of Australian cord blood













Belgium cord blood bag













Belgium cord bag